Wānaka Beerworks has come a long way since Dave Gillies opened Central Otago’s first microbrewery back in 1998.
According to Dave Gillies’ story, he and his friend, who at the time owned the well-known cafe, ‘Kai Whaka Pai’, had grown tired of drinking ordinary, ‘run of the mill’ style beer at the lakefront.
They decided to try something a little different, something Dave had grown accustomed to finding in his home state of California (where at the time micro breweries were more common than in New Zealand). That’s where 'Brewski' was born. Dave and his friends were happy… and refreshed.
Today, we produce over 100,000 liters of 'liquid gold' each year and are still powered by the natural spring water from the mountains that we have special access to, and we think it’s pretty cool. We have also welcomed solar panels to supply the brewery's power. You’ll still be able to enjoy our Brewski at the lakefront in the beautiful town of Wānaka, and you’ll also be able to enjoy it and many more of our delicious beers at many fine establishments across Wānaka and Central Otago.
Our products are constantly expanding and evolving thanks to our passionate brewers and innovative team who are unashamedly super proud of the work they do.
Dave has moved on, but our brewery is still 100% local and owned and operated right here in beautiful Wānaka. We’re always looking for new ways to innovate and stay up to date with what’s happening in this fast-growing industry, but we never forget where we’ve come from and why it’s so important to stay true to our roots.